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End Of The Year: 2022 Edition

We made it, folks. It's the end of the year, and you know what that means? It's end of the year lists season, which is my favorite time of year. There's nothing I love more than seeing what everyone loved throughout the year. I don't usually do "worst of" lists, because I don't listen to a lot of music that I actively dislike, but I do hear albums I don't like throughout the year, nonetheless. I still, however, craft a best-of list, and I'll be doing things similarly to how I've done it in the past, having some honorable mentions before I dig into the real list. The honorable mentions are albums I really like, but they didn't completely stick the landing for one reason or another. I won't be writing a lot about those albums, but I only wanted to include around (although I did end up including a bit more than that), just so my list wouldn't be very stacked and messy. My best-of list is only comprised of 20s this year, but let's get started with the honorable mentions, beginning with...

Turnover - Myself In The Way

I haven't listened to the last few Turnover albums, but from the singles they put out before Myself In The Way, I was excited for whatever they cranked out; what we got was a smooth dose of disco and funk with a helping of shoegaze on the side.

Norma Jean - Deathrattle Sing For Me

One of metalcore's most reliable bands, Norma Jean tried a lot on their latest album, Deathrattle Sing For Me, and while it's a bit of an overwhelming listen, the moments that hit really do hit.

Weston Estate - Maggie Valley

This alt-R&B group made up of all POC members are on the rise at the moment, and their debut is a hooky, groovy, and fun affair that makes you long for more.

Caamp - Lavender Days

The only folk album on my list, Caamp is a catchy little band whose new album, Lavender Days, is the perfect fall / winter album to play when you got a cup of hot chocolate and a warm fire.

He Is Legend - Endless Hallway

Sludge, groove, and metalcore band He Is Legend is one of the most underrated bands in the scene, and for good reason -- their blend of sounds is very unique, and although their latest album, and their first in three years, Endless Hallway, is a bit long, it's still a lot of fun.

Jack Harlow - Come Home The Kids Miss You

Jack Harlow has had a great year in 2022; between releasing a number one single, hosting SNL, and being nominated for multiple Grammys, he also dropped a pretty good album this year with some great guest stars and catchy hooks to boot.

Taipei Houston - Once Bit Never Bored

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has a pair of sons that released their debut album this year under the name Taipei Houston, but they don't play thrash like their old man. Instead they play some riff-heavy blues-rock, and if you want riffs, you got them in spades on the debut, Once Bit Never Bored.

Comeback Kid - Heavy Steps

Hardcore has had a really good year, and Comeback Kid can add to it with their newest album, Heavy Steps, and while it doesn't reinvent the wheel, it's some damn good hardcore that will have you tearing up the living room from moshing so hard.

Action/Adventure - Imposter Syndrome

Easycore has had a good year, too, but one of my favorite albums in that vein is the debut album from Action/Adventure, entitled Imposter Syndrome. It, too, doesn't quite reinvent the wheel, but it's a lot of fun and executed quite well.

Distinguisher - Under The Weight

I'm a sucker for a good breakdown, and metalcore / deathcore band Distinguisher do just that with their latest EP, Under The Weight. This EP doesn't do much other than provide some crushing breakdowns and insane vocaalss, but it's a good little 15-minute EP that does what it does quite well.

Wet Leg - Self-titled

Nominated for a few Grammy's this year, British post-punk duo Wet Leg has been making waves this past year, and their self-titled debut album is a lot of fun. It's a cheeky album that has some fun, clever, and sarcastic lyrics, complete with a dry sense of humor, but with some good riffs and hooks to boot. This was a lot of peoples' most anticipated release, and I understand why, especially for indie fans in any capacity.

No Pressure - Self-titled

Parker Cannon of The Story So Far released a debut album with his other band, No Pressure, and instead of being like his original band, they have a 90s skate-punk and classic pop-punk sound going on. The album is really short and doesn't offer any new flavors, but it's still a lot of fun. It's the perfect summer album, and it's one of the most fun albums I've heard this year.

Okay, we're done with the honorable mentions, so let's move onto the list proper, but before we do that, I wanted to talk about this past year, and how it's been, mainly musically speaking. Like every year, it started off rather slow, but it was nice every wee for a majority of the year to have at least one to listen to and talk about. I'm the kind of person that likes to blindly listen to things, and if something sticks, it's really exciting to me. I found a lot of stuff that way this year. I found a lot of random albums and bands just from looking at the new releases on Apple Music each week. A few albums on this list are from bands / albums I found from doing that, but a lot of it is from bands that I already know, or at least knew something about. This year has been rough for a lot of people, myself included, but if one thing is certain, music has still been there to help us and guide us when we need it. It's been there as an escape, and I've definitely needed it this year, but we got some great albums to talk about to close out and celebrate the end of the year. This list is going to come out towards the beginning / middle of December, versus at the end, like I've always done, because nothing is coming out of note for the rest of the month. I'm just going to lock it in early, because I'm excited to talk about these albums, so without further ado, let's get onto my top twenty favorite albums of 2022, starting with...

20. Foreign Hands - Bleed The Dream

A 00s metalcore resurgence and revival has been on the horizon for the last few years, and it's in full swing now. Foreign Hands is a perfect example of that. Comprised of members of Wristmeetrazor, another solid metalcore band whose last album I was relatively mixed on, this band takes that early 00s sound and runs with it. This EP takes that sound and does something cool with, making it both retro and modern at the same time. The band will have to step it up more on their next release, just to make themselves stand out more, but this EP rules.

19. Alexisonfire - The Otherness

If established bands already weren't releasing new albums, bands were also getting back together, including Canadian post-hardcore royalty Alexisonfire with their first album in nearly 13 years, entitled The Otherness. This album dials back the post-hardcore sound they're known for, and instead has elements of rock, blues, and psychedelia, which makes for a unique and diverse sound that also gets to show off Dallas Green's vocals.

18. Lamb Of God - Omens

This year marked a lot of established bands releasing albums, like I said earlier, and Lamb Of God was no exception. Omens, their new album, was a hotly anticipated album, and for good reeason. This groove metal / metalcore band has been an establishment for the last 25 years, give or take, and Omens is a good addition to their discography. Some people didn't like it, because the band kept doing what they do best without adding to their sound, but I think that's a strength. This album is their strongest in years, and it proves that they're here to stay. They have a formula, but like other bands on the list, it's their formula, so they make it work.

17. Phoenix - Alpha Zulu

If someone told me at the beginning of this year that French band Phoenix would come back after five years and release one of my favorite albums of the year, I wouldn't believe you, but it's true. Alpha Zulu is one of my favorite albums this year, espeically for being extremely catchy and fun. They took a lot of influence from all of their albums, so this is an amalgamation of everything they've done for the last 20 years. It's great when bands can release strong albums this late into their careers, and it shows that they still have some tricks up their sleeve.

16. Miss May I - Curse Of Existence

Metalcore band Miss May I was one of my favorite bands back in the day, but their output has been inconsistent for the last decade. Their last couple of albums weren't all that great, but they're back after a five-year break between albums with The Curse Of Existence, and this album rules. It's a great old-school sounding metalcore album, complete with catchy hooks, breakdowns, and some great solos that sound like they were ripped straight of the 90s Swedish melo-death scene.

15. Slipknot - The End, So Far

Slipknot is a national staple at this point, and while their new album, The End, So Far, isn't aptly named, it's still the end of their time at Roadrunner. This LP, however, takes a lot of different ideas and throws them into a blender. They have their standard heavy cuts that work pretty well, despite being relatively typical, but they also have some bluesier, more atmospheric, and softer cuts that are really interesting. The album gets a little too long, hence why it isn't higher on my list, but it's got some really great stuff.

14. Assault - A Blind Eye

Thrash has had a really good year, and not just from the bigger bands, but a lot of the underrated bands, too, one of which being Ohio's Assault with their debut album, A Blind Eye. It's a short little thrash album that blends together thrash, groove metal, and metalcore, but they're still a thrash band throughh and through. It's a killer record, and if you want an unknown thrash band to sink your teeth into, look no further.

13. Venom Prison - Erebos

Speaking of genres that had a good year, death metal is doing great, too; a lot of great albums came out this year, but Venom Prison dropped a great follow-up to their critically acclaimed first two albums with Erebos. It's a bit of a departure from their original sound, although not by much. It includes some clean vocals and more atmospheric moments, but it's still a punishingly heavy album, and shows that this band still has a lot of fire in their veins.

12. The Devil Wears Prada - Color Decay

The Devil Wears Prada is another metalcore band whose output has been inconsistent the last decade, and despite 2019's The Act being a decent album, I was surprised at how good their latest album, Color Decay, ended up being. It's a great mix of their newer sound, which is more alt-metal, with the metalcore stylings of their earlier work. I was surprised by it, and how well they were able to balance both sounds without comprimising their heaviness. The heavy moments were aplenty, too, but if you haven't listened to this band in awhile, do yourself a favor and check this one out.

11. Escuela Grind - Memory Theater

I randomly found Escuela Grind when their new album, Memory Theater, came out a few months ago, and this is a fantastic slice of grindcore that also manages to throw elements of death metal and hardcore-punk. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it packs quite a punch within the 22 minutes it spends in your ear, and despite the audio assault you'll experience, you'll keep coming back.

10. High Command - Eclipse Of The Dual Moons

I didn't get into High Command when their debut album came out a couple of years ago, but I made sure to listen to this thrash-meets-fantasy-inspired band when their follow-up came out, entitled Eclipse Of The Dual Moons, and this thing is a ripper right out of the gate. It's quite lengthy, clocking in at 48 minutes, and the last song is around 15 minutes, but it takes you on a wild ride, nonetheless. These guys take thrash, crossover, and power metal, namely through the song lengths and overall aesthetic, and ultimately throw it all into a blender that yields some awesome results.

9. State Champs - Kings Of The New Age

I was so surprised by the new State Champs album, Kings Of The New Age, but in the best way. This album is so tight, catchy, fun, and breezy, it's hard not to enjoy it. I don't listen to a lot of pop-punk anymore, but i was enthralled by this album. It's so catchy, and while the lyrics didn't do much for me, they don't need to. This album knows exactly what it is, and what it wants to do, so it owns it. This is the best this band has ever sounded in their decade-plus long existence. This would have been my favorite pop-punk album of the year, but there's one more that I liked a little more.

8. Yard Act - The Overload

British post-punk band Yard Act had my first favorite album of this year with their debut, The Overload, a catchy and visceral album that tore into politics and ideas that are running rampant throughout today's world. It was a very captivating album that showcased all the best qualities of the band, even if it didn't do anything to move their genre forward. Not all albums need to do that, but as long as you can make an album that's just great on its own without trying too hard to tug on peoples' nostalgia, that's good enough for me.

7. Stand Atlantic - F.E.A.R.

My favorite pop-punk album is the new third Stand Atlantic F.E.A.R, which stands for "fuck everything and run," which I like, because it fits the theme of the album, as well as maybe the year. This record marks somewhat of a stylistic shift for the band, as they incorporate more pop and hip-hop sounds, but they doubled down on the hooks and melodies, making for a very catchy album with some clever lyrics that paint a rather deprecating and angry picture. The lyrics can come off rather bitter at times, but with a clever twist on thingss, versus just being bitter for the sake of it. The lyrics are part of the charm, but the whole record is just great.

6. Elder - Innate Passage

"Progressive-rock" is sort of a dirty word for me these days, as well as many other people, because of how pretentious the genre can be (and often is). When it comes to prog, I like some 70s prog bands, such as Kansas, Pink Floyd, Yes, and Rush, and that's when prog began, at least got much more popular, but it had its roots in the late 1960s. I decided to check out the new album from stoner-doom-turned-prog band Elder, entitled Innate Passage, and I absolutely love this album. It's so good. I don't normally listen to prog, at least modern stuff, but this has me wanting to listen to more stuff in this vein. It's a bit long, clocking in at 54 minutes, and each song is about 10 minutes, although there's one that's 15, but it never feels boring or bloated. The song ebb and flow in a very fluid way, and the album keeps my attention throughout it. Vocals are a bit sparse here, but there are some really cool and impressive solos, as well as some instrumental sections that kick things up a notch. There's a lot of atmosphere on this album, but it's one of the biggest surprises of the year. It sounds like it came right out of 1974, but in the best way.

5. Cloud Rat - Threshold

Top five, baby, let's go. Kicking it off with the new Cloud Rat album, Threshold, and these guys are a grindcore band from Michigan that I've been a fan of for years, but they haven't released a proper album in some time. They have put out a lot of splits, EPs, and compilation albums over the last few years. I was looking forward to their new one, because if there's a grindcore band worth paying attention to, it's this one. This album also absolutely delivers. It's a punishing half-hour of grindcore with some traces of mathcore and hardcore, so fans of those genres should find something to enjoy here, too.

4. Terror - Pain Into Power

Terror is a hardcore staple at this point, kind of like a few other bands I've talked about on the list, but that doesn't mean any of their music hits less hard. Their new album, Pain Into Power, is one hell of a record. This album features George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher of Cannibal Corpse, of all people, but for 18 minutes, this thing goes off. This is the best the band has ever sounded, and while I was never the biggest fan of them in the past, this one and their last album really changed my mind on them and got me relly into them.

3. Seth MacFarlane - Blue Skies

Jazz is most certainly a genre that's underrepresented on my list, as well as many other peoples', but the new album from Seth MacFarlane, entitled Blue Skies, changes that. You may know him as the creator of Family Guy, American Dad, and The Orville, as well as starring on all of those shows (in the cases of Family Guy and American Dad, voicing multiple characters, no less), as well as writing and directing the Ted movies, but he also has a music career that he started a little over a decade ago. I knew he released music, but after getting into Family Guy for the first time in a decade, I found that he put out a lot of music. As I write this, I'm also currently getting into his Christmas album, 2014's Holiday For Swing, but he released a great album this year, entitled Blue Skies. This record is meant to be a lot of fun and energetic, versus sour and downtrodden compared to his last LP, and it delivers on the energy. MacFarlane has always opted to have a sound like that of Frank Sinatra, whom he owes a lot of credit to, not just for his sound, but his voice has an eerily uncanny resemblance to the late crooner, and it sounds fantastic. I almost thought this would have been my most played album this year, but instead it's Jack Harlow's debut, which I'm not too surprised by, but that's still kind of strange.

2. Municipal Waste - Electrified Brain

Ever since Municipal Waste dropped The Last Rager EP a couple of years ago, I've been eagerly awaiting a new album, especially since their last album came out in 2017. Electrified Brain, their new album, has been one of my favorite albums for the majority of the year, at least since it came out. I can play this album front to back all day and not get sick of it. This is so much fun. In a year that was also pretty bad, Electrified Brain brought the party. This is what Municipal Waste does best, and for a party thrash / crossover record, no one does it better than these guys. If you want a good time, and you don't care about being challenged or feeling like you have to think (which is not a slight against the band, but you don't need to put on your thinking cap when listening to a song like "Ten Cent Beer Night," or something like that), you'll have a ton of fun with this one.

1. Undeath - It's Time... To Rise From The Grave.

This is it, folks -- my favorite album of the year. When this LP came out in the beginning, there was almost no doubt in my mind that this would be my favorite. The new Municipal Waste album is a close second, and if this didn't come out, that would have gotten it, but the new Undeath record, It's Time... To Rise From The Grave, takes the top spot. This meat and potatoes death metal band from New York has this old school sensibility but uses modern production, making for an interesting bridge between the past and present. This record is fun, dumb, and loud, but in all the best ways. I didn't have more fun listening to any other album this year, and these days, fun is what matters most to me. I do like weird and strange albums, but I just like having fun. I just gravitated towards albums that were catchy, fun, and easy to come back to. I do have a few weirder albums here, but a lot of my favorites were just straightforward, which is completely okay. I can't imagine another album that would have taken the top this year, even though my top three were kind of hard to decide, but Undeath seems like the right choice for me.

I'm locking in my list early this year, as I said earlier, but that doesn't mean the reviews will stop. I'm going to slow down, though, and I have some lists together that I want to put out, as well as some ideas for other things. I might review some Christmas albums, but I'm excited to see what comes out next year. Metallica just announced a new album a couple of weeks ago, so that's exciting, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I just wanted to say that I have some things in the works, but if you read anything I put out, or you support me in any way, thank you. Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and happy New Year. Cheers.

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